1. Technical Field
The embodiments herein generally relate to a method for detecting the cancer cells in the tissues. The embodiments herein particularly relate to a method of detecting the cancer cells using the bio-mechanical properties of the individual human cells. The embodiments herein particularly relate to a method of detecting the cancer cells in the biological tissues based on a deflection of the vertically aligned carbon nanotubes due to the deformability of the cancer cells.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although the biological cells lack eyes and ears to see and hear but they seem to have a sense of touch that allows them to feel their microenvironment. It is now well accepted that the cellular functions are essentially determined by their structure. The structural organization of cells is characterized by certain mechanical properties at different hierarchy levels. The elasticity and the responses of living cells to the external forces have attracted tremendous attention in the modern research of tissue engineering as well as in cell biology and cancer investigations. The living cells respond to the mechanical stimuli in their native environments with the biological changes such as a shape alteration of the membranes and nuclei, a cell-spreading, actins and microtubule reorganization or a cross-linking under a cell membrane and a cell bursting or motility. One can obtain an important information on a tumoral stage of the cancerous cells by investigating these responses. The screening of the cells based on their biomechanical properties provides a powerful tool for a label-free diagnosis and staging of the cancers through the variation of their mechanical properties such as elasticity.
It is well known that a wide range of changes occur during the cancerous transformation of a normal cell. All the cancer cells acquire an ability to grow and divide in the absence of the appropriate signals and/or in the presence of the inhibitory signals. There are also detectable changes in the physical properties of the cells. These changes are classified as cytoskeletal changes, a cell adhesion, motility, nuclei changes and an enzyme production. The latter two cases refer to the variation of the cells from inside where the shape and the organization of the nuclei of cancer cells are markedly different from that of the normal cells of the same origin or special enzymes are secreted to invade the neighboring cells. However, in the cytoskeletal changes, the distribution and activity of the microfilaments and the microtubules may change. These alterations change the way in which the cell interacts with the neighboring cells and alter the appearance of the cells. The changes in the cytoskeleton also affect the cell adhesion and a cell movement or motility. In general the cancer cells are more deformable than the normal cells. Lastly the cancer cells exhibit a remarkable reduction in their cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix adhesion which allows a formation of large masses in the cells. The alterations in the cell adhesion property also have an impact on the ability of the cells to move. The cancer cells spread over an area due to their ability to move and migrate. The cell adhesion plays a major role in regulating the cell movement. Two of these main changes i.e. cytoskeletal and cell adhesion are directly related to the mechanical properties of the cells.
During the development of the diseases such as cancer, the structures of the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix are often transformed. With the cell progressing from a fully mature, post mitotic state to a cancerous state, the cytoskeleton experiences a reduction in the amount of constituent polymers and accessory proteins resulting in a restructuring of its bio-polymeric network. Therefore a direct correlation seems to exist between an increase in the deformability and a progression from a non-tumoral cell to a tumoral and metastatic one. The altered cytoskeleton enhances the ability of cancer cells to contract or stretch. As a result the tumor cells exhibit a lower resistance to a deformation in comparison with the normal cells even when they are more deformable than the non-metastatic cells. On the other hand the micro and nano-fabrication technology developments have profound contributions to a cancer detection by measuring the changes in the mechanical properties of the cancerous transformed cells at their early stages.
Many methods are employed to investigate the mechanical properties of the bio-cells in living, dead and fixed forms. For example, the biophysical tools and techniques such as an atomic force microscopy, a micropipette aspiration, Micro Post Array Detectors (MPAD) and the optical stretcher, are used to probe the mechanical properties of the different types of the cells. In addition to the above, several models are developed to study the mechanical properties of these cells. The properties of the several kinds of the benign and malignant cells such as the breast cancer cells and the other types of cells are studied.
On the other hand, the carbon nanotubes are known to possess remarkable electrical, mechanical and biological properties. Their unique fluorescent specifications and the possible applications in bio-sensing and cancer therapy are discussed by many researchers. It has been shown that various cell types engulf carbon nano tubes (CNT), suggesting their potential usage as the delivery vehicles for a biologically active cargo. They are also used as a cell culture media. These applications, however, rely upon a nonspecific interaction between the CNTs and the cell surfaces, which precludes targeting to a particular cell-type within a mixed population or to a specific organelle within a cell.
The biological applications of the vertical Multi Wall Carbon Nano-Tube (MWCNT) arrays on an interaction with micro organism and biological cells have been investigated. But none of the papers provide the use of carbon nanotubes for the detection of the various types of cancer cells.
Hence there is a need to develop a method to detect the various types and stages of cancer cells using the deflection of the carbon nanotubes and the entrapment of the cancer cells in the carbon nanotubes.
The above mentioned shortcomings, disadvantages and problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying the following specification.